Experiences of Midwives from Amealco, Querétaro, Mexico, on the use of the Montanoa Tomentosa plant

Abstract

The Montanoa Tomentosa plant, known as Zoapatle, is used in popular medicine to help women in labour. This plant is known and handled by indigenous midwives as it has been used from generation to generation. It is used for period regulation, during labour, as a contraceptive, or in an abortive way. In Mexico, this plant has been utilized for 500 years and is still used by midwives today. Through a semi-structured interview, the information sought was the experience of the midwives managing the plants, as well as their trajectory in the practice of midwifery. Two midwives participated from the municipality of Amealco, in Querétaro state, México. The interviews confirmed what the literature indicates about the usage of the plant in women: as a support in labor, to regulate menstruation, to treat problems such as polycystic ovaries, as well as to induce abortion. Both participants indicated that the use of the plant is delicate, because although it is consumed as a tea, it cannot be taken lightly. Either an inappropriate dose or administering it at an inopportune moment can involve more complications than benefits. These midwives no longer use the plant, however they are aware of its use and acknowledge they have had cases of complications with women who have not used it properly, which even led to death for some of them. Conclusion. In the XXI century and even with a phenomenon as shocking as the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of the plant in the community population is in force. Issues that were investigated before the pandemic were current, however the concern remains what their dynamics will be after this phenomenon. Thus, phenomena of interest such as the one presented in this paper should continue to be investigated by researchers, as it is recognized that the healthcare of the population will no longer be the same.